New ♍S-Works Roubaix cobbles bike under select riders this weeken༒d
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Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) will race on Specialized's new S-Works Roubaix (SL4) at this Sunday'🐈s Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: James Huang)
Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) was the first rider on the team to receive SRAM's revamped 🍸Red g𒆙roup but several other teammates are now also equipped.(Image credit: James Huang)
Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Qui𒆙ckStep) will race the hell of the north on 27mm-wide 🐻FMB Paris-Roubaix tubulars.(Image credit: James Huang)
Riders going through the full Spec⛎ialized BG fit process will now be receiving these headse🍸t top caps. Needless to say, Tom Boonen's (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) cap is a little more personalized.(Image credit: James Huang)
The top tube is again rather br🗹oad up front, partially wrapping the head tube to bolster front triangle torsional rigidity.(Image credit: James Huang)
Spotted on Specialized director of advanced development Chris D'Aluisio was a new Quarq power meter option for Specialized's FACT carbon crankar💃ms⛦.(Image credit: James Huang)
Omega Pharma-QuickStep had both 25mm and 27mm-wide FMB tubulars mounted atop the team car. Despite only 2mm in difference according to the label, they appeared very different in sizꦛe.(Image credit: James Huang)
Omega Pharma-QuickStep riders get custom tweaked ওsaddles from Specialized.(Image credit: James Huang)
Specialized looks to be mounting Shimano's Di2 battery be🌸neath the bottom bracket on the upcoming new Roubaix.(Image credit: James Huang)
A clꦍose-up look at the asymmetrical chain stays on Omega Pha✤rma-QuickStep's new Specialized S-Works Roubaix (SL4).(Image credit: James Huang)
The upcoming new Specialized Roval all-c༺arbon clincher road rim measures approximately ✤60mm deep and is "wider than usual".(Image credit: James Huang)
Spec♎ialized director of advanced development Chris D'Aluisio rolled in with not only the new Roubaix but also a new set of Specialized Roval all-carbon road clinchers.(Image credit: James Huang)
Just in case there's a shot of a rider using a Specialized saddle🔯, the company devised these l🍰ittle logos that clip on to the rails.(Image credit: James Huang)
Specialized says Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuꦬickStep) has already test🦹ed this novel suspension seatpost but decided to play it safe on race day. Specialized unofficially calls this the 'COBL GOBL-R'.(Image credit: James Huang)
The internally routed Gore Ride-On Professional System derailleu🐭r cables make a brief appearance at the bottom bracket shell.(Image credit: James Huang)
Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) would💃 once only race Paris-Roubaix on tra𝕴ditional aluminum box-section tubular wheels but Zipp's 303 rims have now proven themselves to be durable enough for the cobbles.(Image credit: James Huang)
The seat stays switch to a new open-back shap⭕e that now houses bigger Zertz dampers.(Image credit: James Huang)
Omega Pharma-QuickStep continues to use SRAM's PG-1070 cassett🃏e.(Image credit: James Huang)
Tom Boonen❀'s (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) new Specialized S-Works Roubaix (SL4) still uses the previous generation SRAM Red front derailleur (SRAM says the matching Specialized-specific chainrings aren't finished yet) but the new chain keeper has been added on.(Image credit: James Huang)
Flatlander 53/46T chainri🗹ngs for Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) in preparation for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: James Huang)
Even with huge 27mm-wide FMB Paris-Roubaix tubulars fitted, there's plenty𒊎 of clearance.(Image credit: James Huang)
SRAM's stiffer TT-specific chainrings are installed on Tom Boonen's✃ (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) new Specialized S-Works Roubaix (SL4).(Image credit: James Huang)
The new fork retains the current 1 1/8-🤡to-1 3/8" tapered steereܫr diameter.(Image credit: James Huang)
Safety tabs 🍒are filed off of the fork tips 🔴on Tom Boonen's (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) new Specialized S-Works Roubaix (SL4).(Image credit: James Huang)
The new fork features bigger and now ope🍌n-back cutouts for the giant Zertz dampers.(Image credit: James Huang)
The head tube sports a suble hourglass profile.(Image credit: James Huang)
🌺Look KéO Blade pedals for Tom Boonen's (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) new Specialized S-Works Roubaix (SL4).(Image credit: James Huang)
The now even more curvaceous stays of the new Spec🦩ialized S-Works Roubaix (SL4).(Image credit: James Huang)
Specialized cleverly tucked in an additional label on top of the se🏅atpost ﷺthat can only be seen with a cutout saddle.(Image credit: James Huang)
Specialized wouldn't divulge detailsꦓ๊ of the new bike, as it's still in the final stages of development. Per UCI rules, bikes not only have to meet the governing body's testing process but it also "has to be presented to the media" so we were shown the new bike, but were not given any details.
Still, visual inspection shows several key changes, most notably yet another evolution of the company's distinctive Zertz viscoelastic dampers inserted into the fork blades and seat stays. They're not only bigger than ever but also plug into new pockets in the frame that maximize surface area contact to more effectively damp vibration. Specialized wouldn't disclose the reasoning behind the new shape but we presume it lends more comfort than the current R𝓀oubꦇaix SL3.
Specifics regarding tested frame stiffness figures and claimed frame and fork weights were also unavailable at press time, but the tapered steerer retains the current 1 1/8in -to-1 3/8in d⛎iameters. Tom Boonen’s personal Roubaix SL4 prototype weighed 7.53kg (16.6lbs) on our scale.
More information is expected later this summer, but Specialized brand communica🔴tions manager Ben Delaney told BikeRadar that the new bike will be, "available in very limited quantities in the fall."
Specialized say Boonen♊ — as well as new teammate Zdenek Stybar — began testing the new bike on the cobbles late February in Mol, Belgium.
Along with the new chassis, Specialized have a new complementary seat post concept. Currently referred to as the COBL GOBL-R, Specialized director෴ of advanced development Chris D'Aluisio says it "doubles the compliance" of the Roubaix on its own, 🔯but is still stiff enough that it doesn't actually feel like it's moving under normal riding conditions.
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Moreover, D'Aluisio says most of the motion of the Roubaix frame itself is fore-aft and Specialized are reaching th💮e limit of how much movement is available. On the other hand, the COBL GOBL-R's motion is mostly up and down and since it only moves on bigger hits, riders apparently aren't bothered by the subtle (and momentary) change in saddle height. Claimed weight for the carbon fiber COBL GOBL-R is 230g.
This season Boonen debuted some significant changes to his personal position for this season after a fit session with Specialized SBCU director Scott Holz. His saddle height is now up a full centimeter, and they decreased his bar width from 46cm to 44cm, and finally they made tweaks to his shoe insoles, which have, supposedly, im🐟proved his pedal▨ stroke.
Overall, Specialized claim the modifications (especially the change in bar width) save Boonen 20 🐼watts of energy at cruising speed and his sprinting style is now significantly more stable and lower up front. It obviously worked in Flanders, and this weekend will likely be total pro🌟of of concept for the new Roubaix, and Boonen’s new position.
